Apparatus for coloring paper stock



Aug. 19, 1930. M. w. RANKE APPARATUS FOR COLORING PAPER STOCK Filed Jan. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W ii j m. mm? M Q. Q T M:

Z O L... t 1 w w a Aug. 19, 1930. M. w. RAN KE 1,773,435

APPARATUS FOR COLORING PAPER STOCK I Filed Jan. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug; 19, 1930 1 MICHAEL w. 'RANKE, or HUDSON FALLS, NEW YQRK APPARATUS FOR COIiORING PAPERSTOCK This invention relates to paper'manufacture'and has for its object the provision ofla simple-apparatus by the use of which paper stock may be impregnated throughoutits vol- .ume with coloring-matter and a uniform shade or tint appear in the finished product.

1 The invention provides means whereby as the paper stockis pumped from the storage chest to be delivered to the forming elements of the paper-making machinery it will receive coloring material and will be so treated that the color willbe uniformly distributed throughout themass. Apparatus embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention resides in certain novel 1 features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularlydefined i in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

" Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing means for practicing the invention in a somewhat diagrammatic manner, 2

' Fig; 2 is an enlarged'transverse section showing one form of agitator, and Fig. 3 1s a vertical sectlon showing another I form of agitator;

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates ahead box receiving"paper'stock from a storage chest through a condu1t'2 which leads into the bottom ofthe box-and has communication'with a pump (not shown) whereby the 'stockwill bedelivered into the *head box/under a sufiici'ent pressure to attain the desired circulation: Within the head box 3 are partitions 3 'andit dividing the interior of the box intofithree compartments, the'stock deliverypipe 2 leading into the central compartment. The partition 4 is" provided c'eninto which'thecoloring matter is delivered -'trally with an" openingor cut-out portion- 5 through which the surplus stockmay overflow --into the end compartment and then return by --:grav,ityto the storage chest through the conduit 6 leading from the bottom of said oom- -opartment'.-t The partition 3 has an opening 7 fher'et r gh at its center and, this p ning Application and January 28, 1929. Serial n6. 335,651,:

is covered or uncovered by manipulation of a gate 8 slidably mounted in ways 9 at the sides of the'opening and adapted to be supported in a set-position in any convenient manner.

From the compartment defined between thepartition 3 and the adj acentend of the head box, the-paper stock flows througha conduit 10 to the forming elements of the paper-making machinery. 7 r i 1 v v Disposed at any convenient'pointin the workroom is a series of tanks or reservoirs 11 which may be of any desiredcapacity and are intended to hold a supplyof coloring matter. Between the reservoirs or tanks 11 and the head box are intermediate tanks 12 which are supported in a somewhat elevated position, as by a frame 13, and from the tanks 12 pipes 14 lead into that compartment of the head box from which the stock passes to the 'forming'machine. The pipes 1 1 are equipped with cutoff valves 15 'whereby the flow may be regulated and from each tank 12 an overflow pipe 16 leads to the reservoirs or storage tanks ll. These overflow pipes 16, in actual practice, will be equipped with nipples or 'otherswiveled' outlets whereby the overflow may be directed into any one of the reservoirs. Communicating withtheinterior of the sev eral reservoirs adjacent the bottoms thereof are outlet pipes 17 which are each equipped with a cutoff valve 18, and these pipes comr municate with the inlet of a pump 19 of'any approved construction, a motor 20 being con- "nected with each pump and being illustrated in a conventional manner. pump" 19 communicates through a pipe' 21 with one of the tanks 12, as shown.

The outlet of'e'ach Within that compartment of the head box through the pipes l l is an agitator which, as

shown'inFigs. 1 and 2, consists of end-disks The disks 22 are rigidly secured to a shaft 24 which is 'j'ournaled in the sides of the head box and has one end projected through the wall of the box and equipped with a pulley 25. A driving belt 26 is trained around the pulley and operatively connects the same with the driving shaft of a small motor 27. The head box is provided with a washout valve 28 in the bottom of the color-receiving compartment so that the compartment may be thoroughly cleaned and all residue driven out whenever deemed desirable. Vhite water is supplied to the color-receiving compartment through a pipe 29 which is disposed E1Cl.]lC9Ilt the head box and delivers vthereinto in any approved manner, this pipe being equipped with a cutoff valve, indicated at 30.

With the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, two different coloring ingredients may be delivered into the agitator compartment and the finished stock will, therefore, have a color or tint which is a blend ofthe two colors deliv ered to the compartment. For instance, if it be desired to have a green color in the finished paper, yellow coloring matter may be delivered through one pipe 14L and blue coloring through the other pipe 14, and the depth or shadeof green which is to be attained will be determined by regulating the cutoff valves 15 so as to permit a greater or less flow of either of the color supplies. WVhite water is supplied simultaneously to the agitator compartment in a desired quantity to maintain the liquid condition of the paper stock and the agitator is constantly rotated so that the stock will be thoroughly stirred and the coloring liquids will be caused to penetrate the entire body of the stock and to mingle there with and with each other so that a uniform color or shade will be found in the finished product. Of course, the apparatus may be extended so as to provide for amingling of more than two color ingredients and any desired tint may be thus obtained.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a variation in the structure of the apparatus, in which the head box is indicated by the reference numeral 31 and the agitator compartment-by the numeral 32. In this form of the invention, the agitator is not mounted directly in the compartment 32 but is housed within a cylindrical well 33 below the compartmentand in direct communication therewith through the bottom of the same. A pipe 34 leads from the well to the forming elements and an agitator shaft 35 is disposed vertically within the well and the compartment 32, being journaled in bearings of any convenient form provided within the well and at the .top of the compartment as is obvious. Atfthelower extremity of the shaft 35, a suction fan 36 is secured thereon and above the fan an agitator 37 is securedto the shaft, t-he'agitator consisting essentially of annularlyspaced vertical beater bars, preferably havi-ngtheir upper ends curved forward in the direction of rotation to avoid throwing the stock up out of the well when operating at high speed. The coloring matter is supplied to the compartment 32 through a pipe 38 corresponding in all respects to the pipe 14 and at the upper end of the shaft 35 is provided beveled gearing 39 driven from a motor 40 so as to rotate the agitator. This form of the invention opcrates in all essential respects in the same manner as thefirst described form but accelerates the flow of the stock to the drying elements through the use of the suction fan.

In both illustrated forms ofthe invention, the apparatus is very simple and compact and is not apt to get out of order. The tanks 12 receive the coloring material under pressure, and from these tanks said material flows by gravity so that, while the desired flow to the agitator compartment is attained, the coloring material is not delivered to the stock with such head that it is apt to impair the quality of the stock or overflow from the compartment, the rate of flow being nicely regulated through adjustment of the valves 15'so that the coloring matter supplied will bear a constant ratio to-the volume of'stock supplied.

It will be understood that by this apparatus. any desired tint. or shade maybe obtained and maintained through the run with uniformity, the mixing being accomplished as the color is impregnated in the stock. There is no necessity for mixing a large batch of color before starting'the paper machine, and there will be no-errors in matching color runs.

Having. thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for coloring paper stock comprising a head box, partitions subdividing the box into receiving, overflow and mixing compartments, the partition separating the receiving and overflow compartments having an openingto maintain a predetermined level of the paper stock in the receiving compartment, and the partition separating the receiving and mixing compartments having a gate controlled opening for regulating the delivery of stock from the receiving to the mixing compartments, a series of color-containing reservoirs, distributing tanks intermediate the said reservoirs and head box and disposed wholly above the plane of the latter to supply the coloring matter to the mixing chamber by gravity, valved pipes between-the distributing tanks and mixing chamber, overflow pipes between the distributing't'anks and reservoirs, means for drawing the coloring matter from the reservoirs and supplying it in regulatedquantities to the distributing tanks, an agitator the mixing compartment, ,andcondu-its connected .with the severalcompartments. i i

2. Apparatus for coloring paper stock comprising a head boxincluding a mixing. compartment, a well depending therefrom and having a delivery pipe 'leadingfrom the bottom thereof, avertical shaft mounted in the :180

Well and mixing compartment, a suction fan in the bottom of the Well secured to the said shaft, and an agitator in the Well above the suction fan secured to said shaft and comprising' annularly spaced vertical bars having their upper ends curved forwardly to supplement the action of the fan and prevent upward movement of the stock.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

MICHAEL W. RANKE. [1,. s.] 

